Glee: Passion is Wonder-ful
by WildeAbrams
Summary: My take on the Glee episode Wonder-ful where Kitty is mystified when Artie tells her he was accepted into film school but wasn't going, and Artie wonders why she even cares.


Glee: Passion is Wonder-ful

By Wilde Abrams

Author's Notes: The 21st episode of season 4 ("Wonder-ful") is one of the most important pieces in for canonical WildeAbrams story arc on Glee. The following was originally written to be included as a chapter in my story The Ballad of Kitty And Artie, which, while outlined, is not being written in sequence. One of the perils of writing something like this piecemeal like this is that sometimes you need to make changes to later chapters to make them fit with the overall story arc. Normally I am okay with this, but in this case, I am really proud of how this version came out. So rather than scrap it, I made a couple small modifications and decided to release it as a standalone story. Consider this a sneak preview of what is to come... Enjoy!

###

Wonderful

On the day that Mr Schue announced that Rachel Berry had gotten a call back for Funny Girl, and that they would be doing a Stevie Wonder tribute week, Kitty could not help notice that Artie wasn't himself and she decided that she needed to find out why.

The bell rang, and he was one of the first people out of the room. Kitty followed him out.

"Hey Cripi Longstocking, wait up?"

He stopped, turned around, and retorted "You know what? That's offensive!"

Yeah, something was definitely bothering him. He wasn't usually so defensive.

"Aw, boo-hoo! I have a disability too. My disability is I can't tell when something's offensive…. and for you to point that out is bullying. Care to share what you're so depressed about?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about!"

"Nice try, liar!" she wasn't going to let him off the hook that easily. "You're depressed and I know why. When the girls were performing during Guilty Pleasures week, you used those googly, thyroid-conditioned eyeballs of yours and oggled me like I was Taiwanese streetwalker…. Well I regret to inform you that you will never be climbing all up on THIS." she gestured seductively to her body.

That got his attention. "Actually that's not what I was upset about…. but thank you for giving me something else to make me depressed-"

That confirmed it. He WAS attracted to her as she'd always suspected.

"Aha!" She exclaimed, "I knew you were depressed about something!"

Finally he took a deep breath and relented, "Yesterday when I got home there was an envelope waiting for me; and inside was the news that I got accepted into the Brooklyn Film Academy."

"Wait, are you serious?" she replied, smiling, serious for a moment.

"Yes I actually am.. But you know what? I'm not going"

"Why?"she asked in disbelief.

"Believe it or not I DON'T want to talk about it, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone."

She watched him roll away, curiosity piqued. She turned away smiling as the bell rang. She was going to get to the bottom of this.

*/*/*

Later that day she Googled the Brooklyn Film Academy. She spent her entire free hour combing over their website along with online reviews and students testimonials. She didn't find anything that would make someone not want to go there. By all accounts it was an excellent school. There was more to this than met the eye, and she was going to find out what it was.

As she headed of lunch, she saw Jake and Ryder chatting by Jake's locked, and approached them.

"Hey, I had an idea for our Glee Club assignment and was wondering if the two of you were free after school to help me out?"

They both stared at her in disbelief, as she had never been the one to initiate something like this with the two of them before, at least not so directly. Jake looked at Ryder and Ryder looked at Jake. Finally Ryder broke the silence and answered, "sure."

"Good," she told them with a smile. "Meet me in the choir room at 3:30... And keep this under your hats. I want it to be a surprise, it will make sense why when we perform it."

"Okay," Jake said, still a little confused. Kitty had been acting differently, surprising them ever since that school shooting. Hopefully the trend would continue.

*/*/*

That afternoon Kitty ordered pizza and the three of them rehearsed the routine she wanted, though she still didn't explain what it was about too much, only that it was a surprise for one of their group members, and that they should follow her lead.

This was a case where her years of dance and gymnastics came in very handy. Between that and Jake's skills they had a complicated routine ready in about four hours.

*/*/*

The next day, Kitty had the surprise ready for everyone. She stood waiting next to the door, communicating with the band as Kurt, Mercedes, and Mike who were visiting entered. As they entered the choir room with smiles on their faces, to a round of applause from the group, Kitty jumped in front of Artie and shouted, "OH, HEY!" And began to dance as the music began to play.

He wheeled past her and entered the classroom, taking his usual spot in the front row. As Artie wheeled in she followed after him with Ryder and Jake in towe. She began to sing "Signed, Sealed and Delivered (I'm Yours)" solo.

The three of them danced around in complicated dance moves to entertain them. Initially she danced in front of the whole group but within a few moments she began to focus on Artie specifically.

But as the song progressed, it became increasingly obvious that this performance was specifically for him although everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. She was dancing and singing to him specifically, as she kept looking at him and did most of her dancing in front of him.

He sat there plain faced and confused. Apparently he was still depressed.

Kitty:

Ohh hey, ohh, yeah baby

Like a fool I went and stayed too long

Now I'm wondering if your love's still strong

Kitty with New Directions:

Ooo, baby, here I am

Signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours!

Kitty:

Mmm, then that time I went and said goodbye

Now I'm back and not ashamed to cry

Kitty with New Directions:

Ooo, baby, here I am

Signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours!

(Kitty: Oooh!), Here I am baby (Kitty: Oh)

New Directions (Kitty):

Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours (You got my future in your hands)

Baby (Haa...)

Kitty with New Directions:

Here I am baby

New Directions (Kitty):

(Haa...) Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours (You got my future in your hands)

Baby (Yeah)

Kitty with New Directions vocalizing:

I've done a lot of foolish things

That I really didn't mean,

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, didn't I? Oh, baby

Seen a lot of things in this old world

When I touch them, they mean nothing, girl

Kitty with New Directions:

Ooo, baby, here I am

Signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours!

Kitty:

Oh! I'm yours

Oowee baby, set my soul on fire

That's why I know you're my heart's only desire

Kitty with New Directions:

Ooo, baby, here I am

Signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours! (Kitty: Oh!)

Here I am baby (Kitty: Oh...)

New Directions:

Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours (Kitty: You got my future in your hands, baby, woah!)

Baby

Kitty with New Directions:

Here I am baby (Kitty: Haa...)

New Directions:

Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours (Kitty: You got my future in your hands, baby, yeah)

Baby

Kitty with New Directions vocalizing:

I've done a lot of foolish things

That I really didn't mean

I could be a broken man, oh yeah, ho

What's your future (New Directions: Here I am, baby)

Got your future baby, ah

New Directions:

Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours, (Kitty: Here I am baby, oh)

Yeah, yeah, baby

Kitty with New Directions:

Here I am baby

Kitty with New Directions:

Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours (Kitty: oh, oh, oh, oh)

New Directions:

Baby

Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours, baby (Kitty: Here I am baby)

Kitty with New Directions:

Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours, baby (Kitty: oh, oh, yeah, oh, oh)

New Directions:

Signed, Sealed, Delivered, (Kitty: Here I am)

Kitty with New Directions vocalizing:

That I really didn't mean

I could be a broken man, oh

Kitty (with New Directions):

I'm (yours)

Her attention was on him almost the entire song, she danced seductively in front of him at one point almost crawling up onto his lap and the guys lifted her up by the legs and carried her over Aetie's head. His eyes bugged out as he was treated to an unexpected panty shot, and everyone in the room reacted with surprise. Artie got a front row view under her skirt before the guys set her down on a chair behind him. Artie turned around and wheeled backwards. They guys carried Kitty (chair and all) across the room and sat her down in front of Artie when he was stopped by the piano as she finished the song.

"Signed, Sealed, Delivered!" She rose to her feet with a grin on her face (Ryder returning the chair to it's previous location), "Seems like the perfect Stevie song to celebrate Artie getting his acceptance letter into film school."

Applause erupted from the room.

"All Right!," Mr Schu cheered.

Mercedes, who had been sitting in the back of the room, a disapproving look on her face, chose that moment to kill the celebratory mood. "Well you know, that may have been the perfect song…. but that performance was just one package that I'm not signing for.

"I mean, honestly, it was good… But you have to be GREAT for Regionals."

Kitty didn't miss a beat before she retorted back, "Yeah, clearly we should be taking our advice from someone who came crawling back to Ohio, after apparently having her L.A. dreams shattered. Did you learn your new lyrics yet? (Singing in a sassy run) "Do you want friiiiieeeeeessss with that?"

"Well maybe," Mercedes sassed back, "if you put some of that sass into your performance, your teacher wouldn't have begged me to come here and be your new vocal coach!"

Kitty was taken aback by this news and struggled to control her facial expression. Who was she to be giving her performance tips?

"Mercedes," Mr Schu added, "is one of the strongest vocalists in McKinley Glee Club history!"

That's who.

Kitty felt her face begin to twitch as she struggled to control her expression. She would not let herself show how she was really feeling.

"So get on point, Kitty," Kurt added his voice to the little bash Kitty parade, "Your little theory about Mercedes's shattered dreams, like most of the garbage that comes out of your mouth, is wrong. Mercedes is back because she has an album coming out, all about home. and she's back to film a video for it."

*/*/*

Artie sat there uncomfortably, and glanced in Kitty's direction and couldn't help notice that as she just stood and took this in, the movement of her facial muscles made it very clear that she was trying to not to show how upset she was. Was she about to cry?

Why was Mercedes doing that to her?

"Wow, Mercedes, that's awesome!" Sam cheered.

"And," Mike chang injected, "Mr Schue asked me to help choreograph for Regionals."

This last bit didn't sit well with Tina.

"I love you Mike," Tina chimed in. "I Love all of my exes, but this is not "Wonder-ful" news! It's shocking news! Now we need some guy to help is dance? Hashtag GleeHatsGirls.

"And what are you here to lecture us on, Kurt? Our terrible taste in clothes?"

"My dad has cancer."

Whole the room was silent.

"Thanks Tina!" Blaine attacked.

Mercedes saved Tina from further attack by calling them back to the matter at hand, Kitty was once again banished to the back of the room and Marley called up to take lead vocal.

Life just wasn't fair.

*/*/*

After the bell rang, Artie rolled out of the room and once again Kitty darted after him.

"Artie-"

"I told you not to say anything!"

"Come on," she defended, "I just gave you a big shout out in the choir room because you have a LOT to be proud of!"

"I'm not going," he retorted, "so I have nothing to be proud of Kitty. Thank you for the effort though!"

"Isn't a big film school, like, your dream or something?"

She put her hand on his shoulder. "Tap the breaks buddy!"

He finally stopped and turned to face her, a concerned look in his eyes.

"My mom is freaking out. She's taken care of me my whole life, and it's scary for her to think of me in the big city all alone. New York isn't exactly wheel friendly unless you're a bike messenger.

"And why are you being so nice? Why do you even care?"

"Duh," she responded, "I'm trying to be wonderful. I like to switch it up. Sometimes I am sweet. Sometimes I'm sour. Keeps it interesting."

The truth was, Kitty wasn't completely sure herself. She just felt compelled to help him for some reason.

"Besides," she continued, softening, "I know how important you are to your mom, but you'd be amazing in film school.

"Just think about it."

The bell rang and she walked off.

*/*/*

Kitty went to her locker and switched out her books. On her way to her next class she stopped by the bathroom. After she did her business, she just sat there thinking about her day and for some reason that she didn't understand, she felt her tears begin to flow.

What the hell was wrong with her! She was Kitty Wilde, the strongest, meanest bitch in the school. Nothing was supposed to get to her.

She must have let out some audible sobs because she heard a voice from the other side of the stall door. "Kitty is that you?"

It was Marley. Oh great!

"What do you want?" She asked. Her voice shaking.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"About what?" She asked, bitterly

"About Mercedes being a total birch it you in there," Marley answered. "I for one think you did an amazing job with that song."

Kitty stood up and open the stall door and asked, "You really think so?"

She could see from the mirror across the room that her face was red. She stepped out of stall and moved over to the sink and splashed some water on her face. Dam it was redder than she thought. She would need to use some cover up. At least it wasn't puffy yet.

"For what it's worth," Marley continued, "so does pretty everyone else. She's entitled to her opinion I guess, but she didn't have to call you out in front of everyone like that."

"Yeah," Kitty told her friend, "I'm not even sure why I let it bother me."

"It's pretty obvious that you put a lot of work into it."

She hugged Kitty's shoulder.

Kitty smiled. "Thanks."

"Do you know what else is obvious?" She asked playfully.

"What?"

"How much you like Artie," she grinned.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kitty said with a straight face.

"Don't worry, I won't tell."

Marley grinned and left Kitty alone with her thoughts.

*/*/*

The next day in glee they were the rehearsing in the auditorium. The three graduates we're back again, and Sam introduced everything by saying, "Alright everybody, let's give it up for Island Beach recording artist extraordinaire... Mercedes Jones."

The group cheered and applauded. Mercedes smiled with a broad grin. Then she took a little bow.

"Alright, alright, I know that Kurt is going through a lot this week, but in spite of that we are all very happy to be here. As you may remember, we saw you guys at sectionals. And there's a reason you guys lost. Fear.

"For instance, Marley. You have got killer vocals, homegirl... So why is it that I've never heard you do a Mercedes Jones style vocal run?"

"I don't know," she answered. "I-I guess I've just been too scared to try -"

"-Yeah, exactly. You've got to belt it out! And you're probably afraid that when you do, I'm gonna test your breath control by hitting in the solar plexus with this maraca." she told her picking up a maraca, and shaking it in the air for emphasis.

"Alright," she told the band. "Give this girl a note to do a little runnin' with."

They played a chord and Marley belted out, "Ooohhhh!"

But when Mercedes followed through on her threat, she totally lost her breath, grunted, and she along with everyone else laughed.

Mercedes put her hand on Marley's shoulder for moral support as she continued to hold her hand over her mouth to try to stifle the laughter.

"See? If you had better breath control, you could probably hold that note every time.

"Alright, floppy-headed bass player, why don't you give us a little bit of that spooky, Stevie Wonder bass line to get us moving?"

The music began to play, and she addressed the whole group. "And all of y'all need to shake out your nerves and stop being so scared - and that includes you, Kurt. I know what you're going through, and this ones for you, baby. And Marley, I want to hear those high notes, and don't be stingy with those runs."

The music began to play the Stevie Wonder song Superstition.

Mercedes:

Very superstitious, writings on the wall

Very superstitious!

Ladders 'bout to fall

Mercedes with Kurt, Mike, and New Directions harmonizing:

Thirteen month old baby, broke the lookin' glass, yeah

Seven years of bad luck, yeah, the good things in your past

Oh

When you believe in things that you don't understand (Marley: Don't understand!)

Then you suffer

Superstition ain't the way

Marley:

Hey, yeah!

Blaine:

Ooo, very superstitious, wash your face and hand

Rid me of the problems, do all that you can

Blaine with Kurt, Mike, and New Directions harmonizing (with Mercedes):

Keep me in a daydream

Keep me goin' strong

You don't wanna save me, sad is my song

When you believe in things (Mercedes: that you) (don't understand)

Then you suffer (Mercedes: Then you suffer)

Superstition ain't the way, yeah, yeah, hey, hey

Marley:

Oooooh!

Mercedes:

Hey, yea!

Marley:

Oh Yeah...

Very superstitious, nothin' more to say

Very superstitious!

The devil's on his way

Marley with Kurt, Mike, and New Directions harmonizing:

Thirteen month old baby! Mmm,

Broke the lookin' glass

Seven years of bad luck, good things in your past

Oh, whoa!

When you believe in things you don't understand

Then you suffer

Superstition ain't the way!

Mercedes with Kurt, Mike, and New Directions harmonizing:

No, no, no, no, no!

When you believe in things that you don't understand

Then you suffer!

Blaine, Marley, and Mercedes:

Superstition ain't the way!

The group began to clap, and Mercedes lead them through the song with Miley singing background runs. Mercedes gestured for Jake and Kitty to get out in front of everyone, and began to dance. Mercedes encouraged Artie to get into it by twirling him in his chair. Blaine took over lead vocal for the second verse. Halfway through the verse he also got into the act with Artie. Next Marley took over lead vocals and Mercedes took over doing the runs. Finally the two ladies finished off the song and gave each other a hug.

Everyone applauded. Even Kitty, who had been slow to warm up because she was still upset with Mercedes, was all smiles by the end of the song.

*/*/*

Kurt's dad got his test results back and found out his cancer was in remission. The next day Kurt was so relieved that he asked his dad to come to glee practice. The last time he'd sung a song in glee and dedicated it to him, he was in the hospital after a heart attack. While Kurt sang You Are The Sunshine of my life, Kitty, Marley, and Tina danced around him. They danced around Burt and drug him up to dance with them during the last verse. Kitty didn't really feel like doing Kurt any favors after the way he had mouthed off to him earlier in the week, but she told herself it wasn't for Kurt, it was for his dad, Burt, and Kurt had been upset about his dad at the time.

She glanced over at Artie, who wasn't as depressed as before, but still didn't seem like himself.

*/*/*

Mike Chang got up in front of the glee club and said, "Since this week is about wonder-ful things, I wasn't to celebrate a wonderful talent. He's new to glee club this year, but I think if we all help him with his confidence, he can lead us all the way to nationals."

Funk music began to play and Sam cautiously rose to his feet and everyone laughed.

"Stop being so modest and get yourself up here, Jake."

Jake rose to his feet and joined Mike up front for a dance routine. They danced around the room and sang the Stevie song "I Wish."

Everyone got excited, including Artie. Kitty glanced in the corner and saw how impressed Mr. Schue was. Kitty suppressed another wave of jealousy as another glee club members was featured instead of her.

They danced around the room and when they finished everyone applauded enthusiastically.

"This is gonna work," Mike told Kurt in the corner. "I just wish Mercedes was here to see it. Where is she?"

Kitty overheard their conversation and thought that she didn't care where she was. They were finally paying attention to someone besides Marley.

*/*/*

Kitty had Study Hall the last period of her day, so as soon as the last period bell rang, she put her books away in her locker, gathered what she needed to take home and headed for her car. Mr Schue never locked the Glee Club members' contact card box he had in the choir room, so it was a simple matter to look up Artie's address. He only lived a few miles away from the school so it only took about 10 minutes to get to the Abrams home.

After parking her car, Kitty took a deep breath, got out and headed toward the door. She rang the bell and a few moments later Nancy Abrams was standing in front of her.

"Hi Mrs. Abrams, my name is Kitty Wilde, I'm a friend of your son's."

"Yes, you were in his production of Grease, right?"

"Yes," Kitty told her. "I am also in Glee Club with him. I'd like to talk to you about something if that's okay."

"Of course," she said. "Won't you come in?"

Mrs Abrams lead her into the house through the foray into the living room. She gestured to the couch, "Won't you sit down? Can I offer you something to drink?"

"That's okay, Mrs Abrams, I'm good," KItty responded all proper as she sat down.

Nancy Abrams took a seat on the couch next to Kitty, placed her hands on her lap, exhaled, and asked, "Okay Kitty, what did you want to talk about? I assume it has something to do with Artie?"

"Did you see the envelope that Artie got in the mail the other day?"

"No," she replied."But Artie is usually the one to get the mail when he comes home. Why? Was it something important?"

"You could say that." She answered, mischievous smile on her face. "It was an acceptance letter from the Brooklyn Film Academy."

"Why that's wonderful!"

"I agree," Kitty told her. "So he didn't tell you?"

"No. The name sounds familiar. It was probably on the list of schools Artie picked off that list Mrs Pillsbury sent home with him last spring."

"I did some research. It's one of the best film schools in the country."

"And it's in New York so he can be close to his friends Rachel and Kurt…. I don't understand why he didn't tell me?" She wondered. "Why did he tell you?"

"I have a way of getting people to tell me things that they don't intend to," Kitty said with a mischievous grin. "He didn't want me to tell anyone else either, and when I pressed him on it he told me that you were upset about it; that you were scared of him being all alone in the big city."

"Why that's ridiculous, Artie is all grown up now! He's handled everything that life has thrown at him, frankly better than I have most of the time. I assume you know about the car accident?" Kitty noded. "He's been in that chair since he was 8 years old but overall he's never let it get him down or prevent him from perusing his dreams and interests."

"I know," Kitty told her. "He'd probably be embarrassed if he heard me say this, but he's really an inspiration to all of us in glee club."

"Any hurdle he tackles, and has since he was a little kid," Nancy Abrams continued. "It was his idea, to make that ramp over there and to move his bedroom downstairs into what used to be the den, and a lot of other things. He was instrumental in getting handicapped ramps at the high school too. When he started there they only had one."

Kitty nodded.

"Well I'm not sure what's going on here, but I thought you should know." Kitty told her. "Artie is a very talented guy, and it would be a shame for him to ignore his God Given talent. He and Finn co-directed the musical, but it was mostly Artie's vision that we were playing."

Just then they heard the door open and Artie toss his keys on the table.

"Mom, I'm home!," They heard him call out.

"Hi Artie!" Mrs Abrams called out back

Moments later, he rolled down a ramp into the living room with the days mail in his hand.

"Yeah, Hi Artie!"

When he saw Kitty he stopped abruptly, he turned his head slightly, clearly surprised and taken aback by her presence.

"I guess I beat you here," Kitty told him smiling, "and I guess I beat you to telling your mom about your good news."

"Honey,' Mrs Abrams glanced away for a moment, and then met his gaze before asking him. "Why would you hide something like that from me?"

"So much for your lies," Kitty said, softly. "Your mom is completely onboard with you going to the Brooklyn Film Academy, by the way. I thought you were a lot of things, but I didn't peg you for a wus."

She rose to her feet with a 'my job is done' look on her face, "I guess you to have a lot to talk about."

And with that she walked out of the room, out the front door got into her car and drove home.

*/*/*

The next morning Mercedes, Kurt, and Mike walked into the choir room. Mercedes had a determined look on her face.

"Alright, everyone," Mercedes said.

"-Ah, alright. Come on. Sit down," Mr. Schue added.

Mercedes put a box down on the piano and turned to face the group.

"So, today's lesson- well I was gonna say 'truth.' But it's about this crazy-ass business that a lot of us want to get into."

"If you're gonna tell us not to even try 'cause it's too hard-" Tina said.

"No, no, I'm just saying be ready. You know when I graduated, a producer said he wanted to do a CD of my music which, oh,my God, that's been my dream since before I even sat in this room.

"Turns out he only wanted to do that on his terms. So I had a choice to make. I could do it his way and get there a lot faster, or I could do it my way, and maybe never - never even make it.

"So I talked to my parents and friends, and I made a decision. So, I don't have a record deal anymore." Mike and Kurt began handing out CDs. "But I do have a record, which I'll be giving to all of you, and selling at a table in front of my church and out of my car, and on Amazon, so, whatever happens, at least I was true to myself."

"And you will have gotten there by taking - and you know it's coming -" Mr. Schue added. "-the higher ground. Hit it!"

The band began to play and Mercedes began to sing the Stevie song, "The Higher Ground." Everyone began clapping and moving along with the song.

Mercedes:

People keep on learnin'

Soldiers keep on warrin'

World keep on turnin'

Cause it won't be too long, no, no, ah, yeah

Powers keep on lyin'

While your people keep on dyin', alright

World keep on turnin'

Cause it won't be too long, oh no, noo

I'm so darn glad he let me try it again

Cause my last time on earth I lived a whole world of sin

I'm so glad that I know more than I knew then

Gonna keep on tryin'

Till I reach the highest ground, oh, woah, yeah, ho!

Teachers keep on teachin'

Preachers keep on preachin'

World keep on turnin'

Cause it won't be too long

Oh no, alright

Lovers keep on lovin'

Believers keep on believin', yeah

Sleepers just stop sleepin'

Cause it won't be too long, ho!

Oh no, yeah

I'm so glad that he let me try it again

Cause my last time on earth I lived a whole world of sin

I'm so glad that I know more than I knew then

Gonna keep on tryin'

Till I reach my highest ground...yeah, oh!

Till I reach my highest ground oh, yeah, no, no

No one's gonna bring me down

No, no, no, noo!

Till I reach my highest ground, ho! mhm, mhm

Don't you let nobody bring you down (they'll sho 'nuff try, ha)

God is gonna show you higher ground

Kitty sat in the back and smiled.

At the end everyone applauded and Mike gave Mercedes a hug.

"Oh she's back! She's back! " Artie exclaimed.

*/*/*

The next morning before Glee practices, Mercedes tapped Kitty on the shoulder. "Can I see you for a moment... In private?"

Naturally Kitty was curious. She had calmed down a lot, but after their encounter a couple days before, she had her guard up, ready to do vocal battle as they exited into one of the wings in the auditorium.

When they were alone, Kitty went on the attack, "More critical judgement of my performing?" She asks all snarky.

She was completely taken aback by what she got in return

"Actually," Mercedes, told her, "I owe you an apology. While I stand by the point of what I said, I was overly critical, and I should not have singled you out. I'm sorry,"

Kitty stood there stunned for a moment.

"I don't get it," Kitty said. "What made you change your mind?"

"Well, part of it was just me thinking about it after the fact, and remembering my own days in Glee; how I felt when Mr. Schue and other well meaning people were critical of me. But mostly it was Artie. He really came you your defense afterword."

"I don't get it. I thought he was mad at me."

"Oh I think he is, and truth be told I think the song itself made him a bit uncomfortable, but I also know that regardless of what you may think, he does think pretty highly of you. Both he and Mr. Schue told me that you've grown a lot as a person this year and I have to admit that I was still looking at you as the person who sabotaged Marley in Grease and sectionals.

"That wasn't fair of me, and the way I approached my criticism, you couldn't help react the way you did. You're actually very talented, and probably aren't getting the recognition you deserve."

Kitty smiled.

"A bit of womanly advice, though. You don't need to come on so strong." Mercedes put her hand on Kitty's shoulder. "If he's gonna like you, its gonna be because of you as a person not because of a performance."

"What is it with people thinking I like him lately? " Kitty asked all annoyed.

"It's pretty obvious, Kitty," she told her. "And for what its worth, you couldn't do much better than Artie Abrams. I've been friends with him for a lot of years, and he's one of the sweetest, kindest, gentlest, guys I know, and one of my very best friends."

Kitty just stood there and absorbed this as Mercedes went back to the rest of the group.

*/*/*

Later in rehearsal Mercedes belted out a big long run, " Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeaaaaaaaaah!" To thunderous applause.

"Yes!"

When the applause died down, she addressed everyone. "Alright, let's review. What are y'all gonna do at regionals?"

"Riff, run, and grunt!" Unique answered.

"Emote!" Marley added.

"Commit!" Ryder added.

"Step up to the plate and embrace our talent," Jake answered.

"And just like my boo, Miss Mercedes Jones," Artie finished, wheeling up to the front of the room next to her, "we're gonna treat every note we sing, and every breath we take with a little something we in the business of show simply call 'passion'." He made eye contact with Kitty. "And passion can be a scary thing, but we shouldn't run or hide from it because passion is - it's wonderful, yo!"

Kitty smiled back at him.

To the group he said, "Auditorium, 4:00 pm sharp. I got a little jam I'm gonna sing foe y'alls! And you best believe it's gonna be sung with - say what?"

"Passion!" They all added, most raising to their feet.

Kitty sat in the back, applauding loudest of all and and with the biggest grin anyone has seen on her.

Mission accomplished! She thought.

Artie mouthed "thank you" to her.

"Yes."

That afternoon in the auditorium, Artie and the New Directions were dressed in bright 1970s style yellow, orange, and green outfits. The music began to play and Artie began to sing the Stevie Wonder song "For Once In My Life". Artie lead the performance with Mercedes, Mike, Kurt, and Will watching.

He kept looking at Kitty, and she at him, leaving no doubt they he was singing the song to and for her, and that she to him. They continued to exchange looks, suggesting a new, stronger relationship between the two.

Artie (New Directions):

For once in my life I have someone who needs me

Someone I've needed so long

For once, unafraid, I can go where life leads me

Somehow I know I'll be strong

For once I can touch what my heart used to dream of

Long before I knew

Whoa, someone warm like you

Would make my dreams come true

Yeah, yeah, yeah

(For once in my life)

For once in my life I won't let sorrow hurt me

Not like it's hurt me before (Not like it's hurt before)

For once, I have something I know won't desert me

I'm not alone anymore (I'm not alone anymore)

For once, I can say, (Oooh)

This is mine, you can't take it (Oooh)

As long as I know I have love, I can make it (Oooh)

For once in my life, I have someone who needs me

New Directions:

Someone who needs me!

Artie:

Ha, ha, ha

Hey, yeah

New Directions:

Someone who needs me!

Artie:

Oh baby, love baby

New Directions:

For once in my life...

Someone who needs me

Artie (New Directions):

For once in my life I won't let sorrow hurt me (For once in my life)

Not like it's hurt me before (Not like it's hurt before)

For once, I have something I know won't desert me (Oooh)

I'm not alone anymore (I'm not alone anymore)

For once, I can say, (Oooh)

This is mine, you can't take it (Oooh)

As long as I know I have love, I can make it (Oooh)

For once in my life, I have someone who needs me (Someone who needs me!)

Ho, for once in my life

New Directions:

Someone who needs me!

Yeah!

Artie:

Yeah

Somebody that needs me

New Directions:

Someone who needs me

Yeah!

Artie:

Ooh baby,

For once in my life

New Directions (with Artie):

Someone who needs me (Oh baby)

Yeah!

Artie:

For once in my life!

Toward the end of the song, the four in the audience jump on the stage and join the group number.

As the song finished, Kitty dropped into Artie's lap and they shared a gaze. Her heart was beating a mile a minute. Was she that exhausted by the performance or was there more to it she wondered.

Artie gazed right back at her. In all of the times they had sung and danced together, he had never seen or felt her breath so heavily. He'd been telling himself he didn't have a prayer with her, but Maybe there was a chance afterall.

####

Okay folks, you know the drill. Please review. As of right now I've gotten absolutely no feedback on chapter 3 of The Ballad of Kitty and Artie. More than a little disappointed at that. It's been up several weeks. Kinda losing motivation to continue the story. Make it up to me on this one okay?


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